A Proposal of a Different Kind
by D.Fantum
Summary: Kate apparently still has her own place, so she's not fully living with Castle. And he hasn't asked to move in, either. Here's my take on THAT scene. Fluff, with a touch of humor.


Disclaimer: Nope, not mine,. Just borrowing them for a play-date. AWM will have them back unharmed. ;)

Kate apparently still has her own place, so she's not fully living with Castle. And he hasn't asked to move in, either. Here's my take on THAT scene.

Kate Beckett sat at her desk at the 12th precinct working on paperwork, as she usually did after closing a case. Her "boys" Espo and Ryan were chatting away about their weekend plans. Espo had a dinner date with Lanie; 'Glad they're okay' she thought; and Ryan was going to be helping Jenny ready the nursery. Her fiancee, however was nowhere to be found. Food run, he had said. She wondered to herself if Rick had to help cook the burgers at Remy's, considering how long he'd been gone. This had better be the best burger she'd ev-

"Yo Castle, extra bacon on mine, right?" She heard Esposito's question and turned around. Oh, there he was. Not that she was worried, though. She knew where she stood with him. Instinctively, her hand found the ring on the chain around her neck. Always...that's what it meant to her, hell, to both of them.

"Of course, Espo. Wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of the law." He half winked at his friend, and tossed him a bag. "again." He sat the next bag down at the fourth member of their 'crew'. "Double meat, double cheese, Ryan." Now that he was a married man, Kevin Ryan was pretty much off the funky food diet and back to eating like a cop. "Thanks, Castle. mmmm, Jenny doesn't know what she's missing with these burgers."

"And you, my dear...the usual. Cheeseburger, everything on it and a strawberry shake." He sat in his chair, took his burger out and smiled at Kate. She could easily get lost in those blue eyes of his. And did, most every day now. "Thanks, Castle." She smiled that smile that was exclusively for him. Her eyes twinkling at him. "So what took so long, have to make them yourself?"

"No, I had to make a stop on the way. Business." He left it at that, knowing that Kate could not let him get away with an explanation like that. Besides, Black Pawn's offices were the other direction. "Okay, Castle, what's going on?"

He smiled and shook his head. "Eat first. I'll explain after." That seemed to be okay with her, as she nodded and began eating.

After they were all finished, he gathered up the trash and went to throw it out. Espo and Ryan stood up and walked over to her desk. "Guys, what?" Castle walked up and knelt in front of them, facing her. "Rick? What's... we're already engaged you know." She looked at him, puzzled.

" I know, Kate. Bear with me a second." He pulled out a flat box and held it out to her. "Katherine Beckett, soon to be Castle. You've made me the happiest man on earth, with one exception. Before we get married, will you move in with me?" He opened the box and lying in it was a Yankees key-chain with a shiny new key."

She nodded, a lone tear escaping from her eye. Even though she still had her own place, she technically HAD been living with him, but this made it official. He handed her the key-chain and stood up, arms open. As they embraced, there was cheering from the small group that had gathered around them.

"Okay people, break it up!" Captain Gates stood in her office doorway, a small smile creeping onto her face. Castle had actually asked her permission to do this in the bullpen. She told him he could, with one exception... he had to find a way to FINALLY replace her Gemini dolls. He grinned and said he had someone working on that already. Deep down, she had developed a soft spot for the wayward writer. He had made the precinct much more than just a workplace. Somehow, he  
helped make it a family. "For what it's worth Detective Beckett, Mister Castle, congratulations, it's about time. Now go on, get out of here. You two have a lot of moving to do before next week."

Mr. Small, the landlord at the building where Beckett's apartment was, thumbed through his letters. One struck him in particular. It was from Kate Beckett. A letter, terminating her lease, along with a check covering the remaining rent and a move out date of the following weekend. Weird. He was kind of going to miss having a police officer as a tenant. Free security is what he thought of it initially. But then again...

From what he had heard of her, she had been in quite a few firefights, actually SHOT once. Pulled her gun more than he even wanted to know.

She had nearly frozen to death, and nearly drowned when her car was pushed into the Hudson.

She'd been stalked by a crazed Richard Castle fan, had a body dumped on her doorstep by the same person, involved in FBI cases, and even held by the CIA for a short time.

She had also stood on one bomb, been in front of one that was defused at the very last second, and even had her last apartment blown UP by the very same madman who left that damn body.

Good riddance.

Maybe the next tenant would be safer. He had a couple of people on the waiting list... one was an older single woman named Martha Rodgers. An actress... now THAT sounded nice and safe.


End file.
